


Before You Go

by Apparentlynotreallyfinnish



Series: Prompted ficlets [5]
Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - No Girlfriends/No Wives, Angst, Fighting, First Kiss, First Time Blow Jobs, Internalized Homophobia, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-03-08 01:37:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18885466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apparentlynotreallyfinnish/pseuds/Apparentlynotreallyfinnish
Summary: Part of a series of prompted ficlets. Prompt: Night before Rhett goes to Slovakia





	Before You Go

Link sat on the bed of his father’s truck. He was drinking a Coke, hoping that he could be enjoying something stronger. He would have welcomed the liquid encouragement. But he was driving, so he had to settle for the fizzy drink. It was a warm night, but there was a little breeze that tickled the back of Link’s neck. Link had always enjoyed the beginnings of summer in North Carolina when the temperature was still pleasant and the months of vacation were still ahead. At the beginning of June, it always felt like anything could happen. That the warm summer nights held a promise of better and more exciting things to come. Link sighed. He didn’t feel like that tonight.

Rhett was late. Link had been waiting for half an hour and he was getting increasingly annoyed. It was their last night together before Rhett left for Slovakia and every minute Rhett wasn’t there with him felt wasted. Link threw his head back and let the final drops from the can drip into his mouth. Despite the sweetness of the drink, he tasted the sourness of his mood. He twirled the emptied aluminum in his hand and stared through the trees. Between the branches, he could see slivers of the Cape Fear river.

It had been a long time since they’d been here. Last summer probably. Link’s mind wandered to summers past, days spent on the river, swimming, sunbathing, reading and talking. Teasing each other and roughhousing. A smile sneaked into his lips. The memories played in his head, making him ache for lost days of their past. And then an image floated into the center of his mind. Rhett in his swimming trunks, hair wet and dripping to his tanned chest that glistened in the setting sun, his wide mischievous smile making Link’s chest warmer than any amount of summer sun ever could. Link’s heart constricted. A whole summer without Rhett. Link crushed the can in his hand. How was he supposed to cope?

Finally, he could hear the car, gravel road crunching under its tires as it approached. He should have felt relieved and happy that Rhett was finally here but all he felt was his annoyance peaking. Rhett parked next to him and jumped out.

“You’re late,” Link said, not caring that his voice was dripping with venom. Suddenly, his body was brimming with uncontrollable, angry energy.

“Barely. I had to pack,” Rhett looked annoyed too. He leaned against his father’s car and crossed his arms.

“Like you couldn’t have packed earlier. God, why do you always have to leave everything to the last minute!”

“We can’t all be perfect little planners like you,” Rhett huffed and looked away, brows furrowed, lips pressed together in a tight line. Link’s heart was thumping against his ribcage. He knew he was gearing up for a fight he didn’t want to have, not tonight, but he couldn’t help himself.

“Oh yeah? Like that’s a big character flaw? Ohhh, Link is such a planner. Wow, I’m so offended,” Link mocked, jumping down from the truck bed and walking towards the tree line. He wasn’t going anywhere, he just couldn’t sit still anymore. He stopped, back against Rhett and tried to release the tension in him by kicking the gravel. 

“You could lighten up sometimes. God, everything is so fucking serious with you. Can’t even take a joke anymore,” Rhett muttered.

“If that was a joke, you’ve really lost your touch, McLaughlin. Pathetic. No wonder you can’t get dates anymore,” Link spat with a hollow laugh.

“The fuck I can! What does that have to do with anything? I’ve just been busy recently…”

“Ohhhh, the famous womanizer has been too busy to date. Uh-huh. Checks out. When have you ever been too busy to chase tail? Ha!”

“Fuck you, Link!”

“Fuck you! God, I hate you so much!” Link was screaming now. His chest was on fire and the corners of his eyes burned from the tears fighting to escape.

“Well, that’s too bad, because I fucking love you!” Rhett growled from behind him.

Link’s stomach dropped and all the air escaped from his lungs. He felt dizzy. Rhett didn’t mean…? He could hear the gravel crunch again as Rhett walked up to him. He could feel him close, maybe an arms-length away. Rhett sighed heavily. Link’s whole body was shaking and his thoughts were a chaotic mess.

“Link,” Rhett’s voice was barely a whisper. Then Link felt a familiar hand lightly land on his shoulder. Everything after that happened in a blur. Suddenly, Link was in Rhett’s arms. Their lips met, hungry and desperate. Rhett’s hand wrapped around Link’s waist and all Link could do was marvel at how small he felt and how much he liked it. Rhett’s other hand was on Link’s neck, pressing him closer. Link’s hands wrapped around Rhett’s shoulders and then moved to his hair, tugging and pulling. He didn’t believe what was happening, not really, so he searched for tangible evidence to support the fact they were actually kissing. Rhett’s head leaned into the pull of his fingers and he moaned.

“I don’t hate you,” Link muttered against his lips.

“I know,” Rhett admitted and licked Link’s bottom lip before sucking it into his mouth, making Link whimper at the sensation. In a mess of limbs and sighs and stumbles, they moved towards the trucks. Link fumbled to get the picnic blanket from the supply crate as Rhett stood behind him and pressed little ticklish kisses into the back of his neck, arms wrapped around his waist. Link threw the blanket on the truck bed and climbed on. Rhett followed with a huff and dragged Link down on it with him. Their lips found each other again and for a good while they just enjoyed the simple pleasure of making out.

When Rhett’s mouth moved down, licking and biting on Link’s jaw and neck, he sighed and said:

“I’m gonna miss you so much.”

“Me too, bo,” Rhett muttered against his flushed skin.

“I mean, the whole summer. Why did you have to go now?” Link asked, not really expecting an answer.

“Because of you,” Rhett said quietly and pressed his forehead on Link’s shoulder.

Link froze for a second. Then his hands started to draw slow patterns on Rhett’s back.

“What do you mean?” he whispered. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know.

“I…I thought it would help. That the distance would help me stop.”

“Stop what?” Link pressed.

“Stop thinking about you. Stop fantasizing about you. Stop pining for you. God! Just stop. I needed it to _stop_.” Rhett had let his full body weight drop on Link. He laid there, on top of him, cheek resting against Link’s chest. Link couldn’t help but enjoy the feeling of being enveloped by Rhett this way. He felt small and safe. But he ached. Because of what Rhett was saying.

“Why do you need to stop? I don’t mind…”

“Link.”

“What?”

“We can’t.”

A chill set into Link’s stomach.

“Why?” he asked, chin wobbling.

“Think of our families. Think of our friends. I…I just don’t think it’s possible. No one would understand.”

“No one would understand we love each other? Rhett, I hate to break this to you, but everyone knows already.”

“That’s different. That’s normal. This…”

“This isn’t normal?” Link asked, feeling the hurt.

“You know what I mean.”

“No, Rhett. I don’t. I really don’t. There’s nothing abnormal about this! I love you. I want you. It’s the purest fucking thing I’ve ever felt. No one could convince me it’s wrong. And you know it too. You’re just scared,” Link suddenly felt strong and capable. If this was something he could do for Rhett, if he could be the strong one in this, for the both of them, he’d gladly do it.

“Link,” Rhett whined into his chest, his fingers grabbing onto Link’s shirt.

“It’s us, Rhett. Are you saying you could watch me marry someone else? Stand next to me at that altar and watch me say ‘I do’ to someone else while you know it’s you that I think about at night?”

Rhett shivered in Link’s arms.

“Could you?” Link repeated.

“No,” Rhett finally sighed. Link relaxed a little and kissed the top of Rhett’s head.

“Okay. So, we figure it out. Together.”

They laid there, wrapped around each other for a long time, both imagining the future that had just opened up in front of them. Then Rhett propped himself up on his elbows and looked at Link.

“I’m still going for the summer. I can’t back out now.”

“I know. God! It sucks.”

“Speaking of that,” Rhett said smirking and, with laughter in his voice, he dove for Link’s lips again. Link melted into him. They worked back to the fever pitch they’d been in before their conversation. It didn’t take much. Rhett’s touch was like napalm for Link. Rhett’s fingers left hot trails on his skin and his lips made him out of breath and lightheaded. When Rhett’s hand snaked down and pressed on his crotch, Link was sure he was about to pass out.

“Ohhhh, Rhett. I…I think I could cum from just kissing you,” Link muttered, feeling slightly embarrassed of the confession. Rhett chuckled.

“You don’t have to,” he whispered into Link’s ear. Link frowned, confused but soon Rhett’s words became quite clear. He disappeared from Link’s vision and Link felt his pants being roughly yanked down. His stomach somersaulted and he was about to ask if Rhett was sure he wanted to do this. But then a wet warmth enveloped his throbbing cock and he couldn’t think straight anymore. His vision blurred and he saw stars. A filthy moan echoed from the trees. He could feel Rhett’s smile against his hot skin and then Rhett sunk low, his head starting to move with purpose. Link whined and squirmed and lost his inhibitions. His mouth kept going, praising his best friend’s mouth skills between involuntary gasps. He was sure he had died and gone to heaven because the sensation was otherworldly and the happiness in his chest was overwhelming. He came hard, bucking into Rhett’s mouth and whimpering Rhett’s name.

His high went on and on. Rhett returned next to him and Link pulled him into a deep kiss. He tasted himself and was surprised by how much he enjoyed the dirtiness of the gesture.

“You are the cruelest man ever to walk this earth, McLaughlin,” Link sighed when they finally separated. Rhett laughed.

“What do you mean?”

“You do _that_ right before you leave for the other side of the world for three months.”

“Just making sure you don’t forget me,” Rhett said, taking Link’s face into his hands and kissing his nose.

“That was never a possibility,” Link said smiling. He felt warm and soft and loved. It was the greatest feeling in the world.

“Anything else you wanna do before I go?” Rhett asked wiggling his eyebrows and pressing his bulging crotch against Link’s side. Link’s mouth suddenly watered and he felt the need rising in him again.

“Let’s see if I can make you remember me too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted on Tumblr by my lovely geographical neighbor and a talented writer herself @thatswedishbeast


End file.
